Swimming mitt



J. F. MYERS SWIMMING MITT' Dec. 1, 1942 Filed March 4, 1941 James MyerPatented Dec. 1 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWIMMING MITT James F.Myers, Oakdale, Pa. Application March 4, 1941, Serial No. 381,749.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved swimming mitt.

Heretofore, most devices of this kind have not proven practical, due tothe fact that the finger and thumb stalls become distended with water,resulting in a device of an annoyance and impediment, while also, whenso distended with water, the device has tended to slip either partiallyor entirely off the hand to further impede swimming. These handicapshavebeen especially encountered in any instance where a webbed glove hasbeen employed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a devicecharacterized by its skeletonized structure and embodying only webbed,close-fitting thumb and finger stalls in conjunction with adequate meansfor retaining the stalls tightly in place.

A further object is to provide a device wherein, when applied to thehand, the palm will remain uncovered, and wherein freedom of movementand flexing of the hand and fingers will thus remain practicallyunimpaired.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device whereintabs will be provided at the base ends of the finger and thumb stalls,at the palm side, and wherein said tabs may be readily asped for pullingthe tight-fitting stalls over the fingers and thumb downwardly intoplace without likelihood of injury to the mitt.

A further object is to provide a device wherein, at their inner marginsnext the palm of the hand, the webs between the finger and thumb stallswill be provided with aprons to overlie the crotches between the fingersand the thumb so that as the hand is moved forwardly in the water, flowor escape of water between the fingers and the thumb will be preventedto thereby increase will be found entirely efficient and a real aid. to

swimming.

Other and incidental objects of the invention will appear during thecourse of the following which shows a preferred embodiment of theconception:

Figure l is an elevation showing the palm side .of the device.

Figure 2 is an elevation showing the back of the device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the draw ing, I have shown a mittfashioned to fit the left hand. As will be understood, however, thedevices will be furnished in pairs, one for the left hand and one forthe right hand, but as, otherwise, the devices are identical, adescription of the left-hand mitt will suffice for both.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ finger stalls l0, onefor each finger, and a'thumb stall ll, all of which may, if so desiredbe provided with openings at the back of the mitt, as shown, althoughthis feature has been found not to especially contribute to efficiency.In the manufacture of vthe device, these stalls l0 and H will, ofcourse, be made in different size, according to the size of the mitt, tosuit different hands, ,the object being that said stalls shall more orless tightly fit the fingers and the thumb.

The stalls I0 and H are preferably of rubber and integral with orotherwise suitably connected to said stalls are intervening webs I2,also preferably of rubber and pleated to facilitate the folding thereof.At the outer margins of the webs H are binding strips l3 reinforcing thewebs to prevent the accidental tearing or rupture thereof. These stripsare, like the webs, preferably of rubber and may be in the nature ofthickened, integral beads at the free edges of the webs, if so desired.Near the inner margins of the webs I! are provided like reinforcingstrips l4 extending between the stalls l0 and H approximately at thecrotches therebetween.

Integral with the stalls Ill and II, at the palm side thereof, are tabs15 which overlie the palm of the hand at the base ends of the fingersand the thumb. These tabs are preferably edged with reinforcing stripsl6 like thestrips l3 and I4, and extending between the strips ofadjacent tabs at the crotches between the fingers and the thumb areconnecting strips H, the parts being preferably integral. As will beperceived, the tabs l5 may be selectively grasped for pulling the stallsl0 and II over the fingers and the thumb so as to avoid possiblefracture of said description and in the accompanying drawing 55 stalls,

It is now to be observed that the webs l2 are extended at the pahn sideof the hand to provide preferably pleated aprons l8 lying between thetabs and integral therewith, These aprons are preferably edged byreinforcing strips it like those previously described and, as will benoted, are reinforced at the crotches between the stalls II and II bythe integrally formed strips I4 and II. The aprons l8 overlie the palmof the hand and serve to close the crotches between said stalls so that,as the hand is moved forwardly in the water, fiow or escape of waterbetween the stalls I and II at said crotches will be prevented. As willbe appreciated, the emciency of the device is thus enhanced by theaprons.

Encircling the finger and thumb stalls ill and H at the base endsthereof are integral reinforcing strips 20. Between the finger stallsl0, adjacent strips are united and at the back of the mitt, theencircling portions of said strips respectively merge into a strap 2|,the structure being preferably of suitable rubber or rubber impregnatedfabric or material.

Anchoring theseveral straps 2| is a preferably circular header 22 ofrubber or rubber impregnated material. This header is fiat at its innerside to seat comfortably against the back of the hand and is preferablyprovided internally with a reinforcing ring 23 of wire or the like.

Preferably, the header 22, while being pliable and entirely capable offlexing to conform to the back of the hand is, nevertheless, somewhatmore stiff and rigid than the other parts of the device, and formed inthe encircling skirt of the header at its forward margin are slots 24through which the straps 2| are engaged and firmly secured, the slotsbeing so disposed that the straps radiate in natural position toward thebase ends of the stalls l0 and I at the back of the hand.

Formed in the rear margin of the skirt of the I header 22, opposite theseries of slots 24, are

spaced slots 2! and secured through the latter slots are tie strings 2',also preferably of rubber or the like. As will be observed, thesestrings are of a length to be crossed about the wrist at the inside ofthe hand and tied at the back of the wrist for securing the device inposition.

Preferably, the tie strings 26 are highly elastic so as to exert arearward anchoring pull upon the header 22. Similarly, the straps 2| arealso preferably, highly elastic for exerting a rearward pull upon thethumb and finger stalls it and H. Thus, as will be seen, the anchoringpull of the strings 26 will be communicated to the header 22 which, inturn, will distribute said pull to the straps 2| and so to the fingerand thumb stalls;

The finger and thumb stalls will thus be under constant tension tendingto hold them tightly in may, of'course, be equipped with any appropriatesnap fastening for detachably securing them together at their free endsabout the wrist.

1. A swimming mitt including finger and thumb stalls having webstherebetween, reinforcing means encircling each stall near the base endthereof and terminating in a strap at the back of the mitt, a headeranchoring all of said straps to radiate therefrom to the stalls, andmeans for securing the header against forward pull.

2. A swimming mitt including finger and thumb stalls having webstherebetween and provided at the base ends thereof at the palm side ofthe mitt with individual tabs free to be selectively grasped for pullingthe stalls over the fingers and the thumb without rupture of said stallsor said webs, the webs being extended at the crotches between saidstalls to provide aprons integral with the tabs to be sustained at theirside margins thereby but free between the tabls to overlie the palm ofthe hand and close said crotches upon' propelling thrust of the hand inthe water, and means for securing said stalls against forward slippage.

3. A swimming mitt including finger and thumb stalls having webstherebetween, a circular header at the back of the mitt having anencircling skirt provided with slots, reinforcing strips encirclingsaidstalls atv the base ends thereof and respectively merging into a strap,the several straps being engaged through certain of said slots toradiate from the skirt to said stalls at the forward side of the header,and tie strings engaged through certain other of said slots to radiatefrom the skirt at the rear side of the header and adaptedto be engagedabout the wrist for securing the mitt upon the hand.

4. A swimming mitt including finger and thumb stalls having webstherebetween and provided at the base ends thereof at the palm side ofthe mitt with individual tabs free to be selectively grasped for pullingthe stalls over the fingers and the thumb without rupture of said stallsor said webs, the webs being extended at the crotches between saidstalls to provide aprons integral with the tabs to be sustained at theirside margins thereby but free between the tabs to overlie the palm ofthe hand and close said crotches upon propelling thrust of the hand inthe water, a circular header at the. back of the mitt having anencircling skirt, reinforcing strips encircling said stalls at the baseends thereof and respectively merging into a strap, the several strapsbeing secured to the skirt to radiate from the skirt to the stalls atthe forward side of the header, and'tie strings secured to the skirt toradiate therefrom at the rear side of the header and adapted to beengaged mat the wrist for securing the mitt upon the JAMES F. MYERS.

